A chocolate paté rolled in crushed pistachio nuts made by Pastry Chef Perrin Williams. It is served with biscotti and jam / Courtesy photo

Written by

Shawn Calley

Free Press columnist

This time of year, many people’s idea of dessert is, understandably, things like apple pie and holiday cookies. But there are plenty of other treats that can make the holidays special.

This week’s Local Flavor recipe comes from our Executive Pastry Chef Perrin Williams and is one of the most popular desserts on the Amuse menu. It’s very easy to prepare and is sure to dazzle. Serve it with a little piece of biscotti and some Vermont jam, and you have a dish that will be long remembered by your guests.

Melt the chocolate over a double boiler, and warm the cream in the microwave. Whisk cream and chocolate together to make a ganache. Add the rest of the ingredients (except the pistachios), and pour into bread pan. Be sure to bang the pan on the counter to level, and use French spatula to smooth it. Freeze until set. Remove from pan and slice to desired portion size. If you’d like, roll the slices in chopped pistachios for garnish.

Shawn Calley is the executive chef at Amuse at The Essex Resort and Spa. His column, Local Flavor, appears weekly.